Refillable-tube pocket toothbrush



Aug- 5, 1958 N. WISHNEFSKY ET A1. 2,845,645

REFILLABLE-TUBE POCKET TOOTHBRUSH Filed Dec. l5, 1955 T/c'l- 22,2

fj@ g 29 /56 a A ly i w u /z m7 Z3 za u n United States atent O REFlLLABLE-TUBE POCKET TCOTHBRUSH Nathan Wishnefsky and Milton Olive, Brooklyn,.N.Y Y., assignors to Pharmaceutical Research & Development Company, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application December 15, 1953, Serial No. 398,369"

Z Claims. (CLIS-136) This invention relates to an integral toothbrush and dentifrice holder' both held aligned in a common con- The combination of the invention comprises a toothi brush having a truncated handle the lower end of which is hollowed out and threaded to serve as a receptacle and cap for the neck of a collapsible tube, with the thus linkedl brush andV tube enclosed within a removable case. This presents a unit which readily tits into a coat, vest, handbag, or other carrying receiver, just as does a fountain pen and can be similarly secured to the ,pocket with aclip.

The features and advantages of the invention will'be more apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing Which is illustrative of the invention and in which:

Fig. 1 shows the completely assembled combination ready to be placed in a pocket, or other carrying receiver;

Fig. 2 is an end View of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinall sectional elevational Vview through Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is an exploded sectional view, illustrating'the refilling of the tube of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 shows the preferred form of the invention whereinthe truncated handle vof the Vbrush serves a's the nipple through which the refillabl'e tube may be filled from a supply tube, said supply tube containing dentifrice in either liquid, paste, or powder form.

Referring to Fig. 3, the toothbrush consists of two main portions-a brushing end 11 with bristles V12, and an expanded, truncated handle portion 13. The lower end 14 is hollowed out and threaded internally with threads 15. The relillable collapsible tube 18 is closed at one end and at its other end has an open neck 19 having exterior threads 20 screwed into the internal threads 15 of the handle portion 13.

The toothbrush 10 is enclosed at its brushing end 11 by cover 21, and at its lower end 14 with the attached rellable collapsible tube 18 by cover 22. Covers 21 and 22 are press tted upon the stub handle 13 for econonly in manufacture, and are longitudinally positioned by abutting against annular rib 16 which is disposed laterally about lower end 14. The cover 21 is provided with air vents 23 to provide for ventilation of the bristles, and a clip 24 is provided whereby the device may be secured to the pocket vfor convenience in travcling.

Fig. 4 shows the method of relling the rellable tube 18 from the large size dentifrice tube 26 using a coupling connector 25 which connects rellable tube 18 to economy vsize tube 26. The end of the coupling connector 25, into which the retillable tube 18 screws, may

2,845,645 Patented Aug. 5, 1958 ice be provided additionally with external threads corresponding in size and pitch to` those of the large size tube 26, to be used to close the large tube by screwing on to lthis outside thread of the Coupling connector the threaded cap which had been originally screwed on tol the large tube.

VThis' permits the coupling connector 25 to be left permanently attached to the' large vsized dentifrice `tube 26 and allows the economyv size dentifrice tube with its attached coupling connector 25 to be readily used either in conventional manner at home or for refilling the refillable tube 18 before going on a trip. A separate cap 27 may be provided with each coupling' connector 25 as shown in Fig. 4 vto Ascrew into theinside'thread of that end of vthe 'coupling which is used to refill the re'llable tu'be 18 thereby efectinga closure ofthe large size tube of Adentifrice 26 after the connecting coupling 25 has been' screwed onto the large size .tube of dentifrice without the-,need of additional threads being cut on the outside of the" small end of the coupling connector.

In the preferred form illustrated in Fig. 5, the con necting coupling between `the large Asize .dentifrice tube and the rellable vtube is builtinto the truncated handle portion l13 ofthe toothbrush 10. A closure inthe form of a capY 28 is-screwe'd intov the threads ofthe opening 29 in the stub end of the toothbrush which serves as the large end of the coupling connector. The head of -this closure cap'is made small .enough to allow cover 21 to lit over vit when the cover 21 is used to enclosethetoothbrush. `In use cover 21 is at least .partially disengaged from handle, lthe cap 28 islremoved'. The' large size dentifrice tube is screwed into the 'large opening 29 while the refillable tube 18 is connected to the Asmall end 15 of this' coupling which is built integral with the stub handle' portion v13 of the toothbrush; vthe large tube is squeezed so' as to force the dentifrice through the connecting orice into the small end of the coupling and Aso intothe retillable tube.

In closing the steps are reversed, i. e., the large tube is' removed, cap 28 is screwed into the ,opening 29, and cover'2'1 is repl'acedover the toothbrush. Since it Awas not necessary' to remove cover' 22 to refill tube 1`8`, the toothbrush isnow ready tobe inserted into the pocket.

In operation covers 21 and 22 are removed, rellable tube 18 is unscrewed from the truncated'handle ,13 of toothbrush 10"', cover .22 is replaced, the proper amount of dentifrice is deposited upon the toothbrush bristles 12, and the teeth are then brushed. Following this brushing, the brush bristles 12 are then rinsed, partially dried, cover 21 is replaced upon brushing end 11, cover 22 is removed, the rellable tube 18 is screwed into internal threads 15 of handle portion 13 of toothbrush 10i, cover 22 is replaced and the rellable-tube pocket toothbrushv is secured in the pocket by clip 24. One may, of course, replace rei'llable-tube 18 into stub handle end 13 of toothbrush 10 immediately after depositing the dentifrice upon the bristles and then replace cover 22 upon truncated handle 13 before brushing the teeth.

The refillable-tube may be relled from the large size dentifrice tube at any convenient time while at home to provide means for cleaning the teeth while away from home, one filling of the relillable-tube would supply suicient dentifrice in this tube for more than one weeks use. Filling the refillable-tube before starting on a trip or on vacation would eliminate the very bothersome and weightand space-adding factor of a bulky dentifrice container in the luggage while-still permitting the larger size to be purchased for home use before a trip or before vacation, the rellable-tube pocket toothbrush solving what was always considered a very vexing problem during vacation time.

Covers 21 and 22 may have elevated sections or ribs at or near their open ends protruding inwardly to t into corresponding depressions in the stub handle 13 of the toothbrush 10, thereby allowing the covers to seat more firmly upon the stub handle portion of the toothbrush than would be the case with a friction tit. This would prevent the lower portion of the toothbrush dental unit from working loose from the upper cover 21 clipped to the pocket by clip 24, which may occur with only a friction tit being used. Alternately, the elevations may be manufactured on the stub handle portion of the toothbrush to seat into similarly shaped depressions in the covers 21 and 22 to accomplish the same result.

In a further modification, not shown, the relillable i eliminate the need for the coupling connector 25. This would be convenient where the diameter of the threads on the large size dentifrice tube is relatively small. Alternately, threads may be manufactured on the inside of the large size dentifrice tube to allow the rellable tube 18 to be screwed directly into the orifice of the large size dentifrice tube to effect relling without the need of supplying the coupling connector 25.

The refillable tube 18 may be made of sheet metal or, in a preferred modification, it may be made of a readily-yielding, resilient material such as polystyrene. In the latter case, when upon being squeezed it is found to be empty, it may then be coupled with the lling tube. The toothpaste will be sucked in thereby preventing any waste and eliminating the possibility of leakage. The tube and truncated handle may of course be cylindrical in which case the covers will be of similar shape, the Whole unit having the external appearance of a conventional fountain pen.

From the foregoing specifications it will become apparent that the invention disclosed will adequately accomplish the functions for which it has been designed and in an economicalmanner and that its simplicity, accuracy and ease of operation are such as to provide a relatively inexpensive ,device considering what it will accomplish and that it will lind an important place in the art to which it appertains when once placed on the market. Such a device lends itself particularly for promotional use as well as for conventional commercial use.

While several forms are described in the above referred to drawing, it is to be understood that they are merely for the purpose of illustration and that various changes in construction may be resorted to in the course of manufacture in order that the invention may be utilized to the best advantage according to circumstances which may arise without in any way departing from the spirit and intention of the device, which is to be limited only in accordance with the appended claims. And while there is stated the primary field of utility of the invention, it remains obvious that it may be employed in any other capacity wherein it may be found applicable.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim the following:

1. A dental cleansing unit comprising a toothbrush having a handle, said handle being provided with a pair of recesses and a communicating channel extending therebetween, a removable closure member for one of said recesses, a collapsible resilient dentifrice holder having a neck conforming to the other of said recesses, and means for rigidly and removably affixing said holder tosaid handle through said other recess, whereby said dentifrice holder can be refilled from a supply vessel by removal of said closure member and insertion of said supply vessel into said one recess, the dentifrice passing from said supply vessel through said channel into said holder.

2. A cleansing unit according to claim 1, said other recess being so provided in said handle that said holder extends longitudinally of said handle, said handle being truncated and including a lateral rib positioned intermediate said recesses, and further including a first hollowed member enclosing said toothbrush and frietionally engaging said handle, and a second hollowed member enclosing said dentifrice holder and frictionally engaging said handle, the maximum longitudinal movement of said hollowed members along said handle being limited by said rib, said second hollowed member constituting an elongation of said handle for grasping said toothbrush.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,436,883 Koepke Nov. 28, 1922 1,855,572 Gabriel Apr. 26, 1932 1,859,108 Nadoolman May 17, 1932 1,902,859 Joseph Mar` 28, 1933 1,942,933 Ottenstroer Jan. 9, 1934 2,430,046 Dreyfus Nov. 4, 1947 2,724,863 Gudge et al Nov. 29, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 894,623 France Nov. 20, 1944 

